Guest sewist Susan Yaskin explains how to make a rag quilt, like these Jewish-theme quilts she made for her granddaughters as Hanukkah gifts. Making a rag quilt is faster and easier than making a classic quilt, and if the idea of quilting a whole blanket at once seems intimidating, then making a rag quilt may … Continue reading
When doing machine applique, turning sharp corners can be tricky. I’m talking about the kind of sharp corners you find on a star, like a Star of David. As you approach a pointed corner and the applique narrows to a point, the stitches become wider than the applique. The stitches can end up spilling onto … Continue reading
First of all, an apology and a correction, because the name of the doll modeling this tallit and kippah set is not Rebecca, as I reported on Instagram, but Samantha. My daughter caught the error. So my apologies to Rebecca and Samantha for not remembering which one has bangs. But Samantha does look pretty cute … Continue reading
Deborah Katchko-Gray is a professional cantor and accomplished needle artist. When she’s not weaving melodies with her voice she’s weaving embroidery thread, creating Judaica with a technique called Swedish weaving. Swedish weaving is a type of embroidery in which the stitches are worked on the surface of the fabric. Rather than the needle passing to … Continue reading
For the past few weeks I’ve been having fun working out how to make a doll size tallit. It’s not quite there yet, but it’s pretty close. For my first versions I tried woven wool fabrics so I would have fibers coarse enough to make little tassels at the ends of the tallit. I’m kind … Continue reading
Here’s a huge thanks to all the Jewish authors and the publishers who bring Jewish books to life. To mark this year’s Jewish Book Month, I’ve gathered a group of Jewish book recommendations for your bookshelf (and kitchen shelf). Most of the selections are new this year, but for the Jewish sewing and needle craft … Continue reading
If you love the idea of making your own tallit but the thought of taking on the whole project feels intimidating, I have great news for you: You can create a very special, personalized tallit by making only the atarah –the neckpiece– and sewing it onto a purchased tallit. The atarah is a long, narrow … Continue reading
